ROSE-BUSH. 325 



" Of knoppis close some sawe I there. 

 And some well better woxin were. 

 And some there ben of othir moison. 

 That drowe nigh to ther seson. 

 And spedde 'hem faste for to spredde : 

 I love well suche rosis redde. 

 For brode rosis and open also 

 Ben passid in a day or two, 

 But knoppis wollin freshe be 

 Two dales at lest, or ellis thre ; 

 The knoppis gretely likid me, 

 For fairer maie there no man se ; 

 Who so might hav in one of all. 

 It ought him ben ful lefe withall : 

 jNIight I garlonde of 'hem getten 

 For no richesse I wolde it letten. 



" Amonges the knoppis I chese one 

 So faire, that of the remenaunt none 

 Ne preise I half so well as it 

 Wlian 1 avisin in my wit. 

 It so well was enluminid 

 With color red, as well finid 

 As nature couth it makin faire, 

 And it hath levis wel foure paire 

 That kind hath set through his knowing : 

 About the redde rosis springing 

 The stalke was as rishe right. 

 And thereon stood the knop upright. 

 That it ne bowed upon no side : 

 The sote smel ysprong se wide 

 That it died all the place about. 



" I sawe the rose when I was nigh. 

 Was greater woxin, and more high, 

 Freshe and roddy and faire of hewe. 

 Of colour ever iliche newe : 

 And when I had it longe sene, 

 I sawe that through the levis grene. 

 The rose spred to spannishing. 

 To sene it was a godely thing ; 

 But it ne was so sprede on brede 

 That men within might knowe the sede. 

 For it coverte ywas and close 

 Bothe with the leves, and with the rose ; 



